User experience of gesture based interfaces: a comparison with traditional interaction methods on pragmatic and hedonic qualities

  • Authors:
  • Maurice H. P. H. van Beurden;Wijnand A. Ijsselsteijn;Yvonne A. W. de Kort

  • Affiliations:
  • School of Innovation Sciences, Human Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;School of Innovation Sciences, Human Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;School of Innovation Sciences, Human Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

  • Venue:
  • GW'11 Proceedings of the 9th international conference on Gesture and Sign Language in Human-Computer Interaction and Embodied Communication
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Studies into gestural interfaces --- and interfaces in general - typically focus on pragmatic or usability aspects (e.g., ease of use, learnability). Yet the merits of gesture-based interaction likely go beyond the purely pragmatic and impact a broader class of experiences, involving also qualities such as enjoyment, stimulation, and identification. The current study compared gesture-based interaction with device-based interaction, in terms of both their pragmatic and hedonic qualities. Two experiments were performed, one in a near-field context (mouse vs. gestures), and one in a far-field context (Wii vs. gestures). Results show that, whereas device-based interfaces generally scored higher on perceived performance, and the mouse scored higher on pragmatic quality, embodied interfaces (gesture-based interfaces, but also the Wii) scored higher in terms of hedonic quality and fun. A broader perspective on evaluating embodied interaction technologies can inform the design of such technologies and allow designers to tailor them to the appropriate application.